10 Quick Confidence Boosts

Confidence is a fascinating topic because it seems like a few of the lucky ones are simply born with it, but I truly believe that it’s something we all need to work towards. It takes a lot of effort and daily practice. But what if we need a quick confidence fix?! Don’t worry, I’ve got ya covered! I’ve put together my favorite 10 Quick Confidence Boosts to turn you into a colorful, confident peacock struttin’ your stuff like it ain’t no thang. (Don’t like peacocks?! Pick your confident spirit animal… lion, leopard, wombat, sloth, naked mole rat, CHOICE IS YOURS!)

Ready?! Here we go…

1. Take a moment to breathe.

Time: 1-5 min

When we lack confidence, we tend to feel ungrounded. Taking some long, deep, breaths is quick way to regain some of that ground. My favorite way to do it is to close my eyes and count to 10 with each breath: breath in = 1, breath out =2, all the way up to 10, and then start over again. You can do this in the morning when you wake up, on a crowded subway during your commute, before a big meeting, etc.

2. The Quickest Fix: Your Posture

Time: 2 seconds (if that)

I want you to take a second here. Like, right this very second. Roll your shoulders back. Open up your chest. Hold your head up. Take a big breath. Doesn’t that feel a little better? Our posture has a huge effect on how we feel on the inside. By actively taking on more confident body language on the outside, we can start to feel more confidence on the inside.

3. Have Your Fave Outfits Ready to Go

Time: 3 minutes

Similar to how posture affects your confidence, wearing your favorite outfit can have a similar outcome. I want you to pick your favorite outfit for a business setting, your favorite outfit for a casual event like hanging out with friends, and your favorite outfit for a slightly more dressed up scenario like a date. Have each of these options top of mind so when you’re having an off day, you can go straight to your closet and without any mental effort, pick the exact pieces of clothing you know will instantly make you feel good. If I had to pick one outfit, my go-to would be black skinny jeans, a baggy vintage t-shirt, a leather jacket, and some platform sneakers!

4. Remind Yourself Why You’re Dope AF

Time: 1 min

Start a note in your phone and every time self-doubt creeps in, go to your note and add a reason (or two) why you kick ass. Don’t overthink this, it can be simple as fuck. You can list qualities about yourself, a small act of kindness, something you’ve accomplished… anything! Over time, you may not even need the note anymore because you’ll start to train yourself to remember your “Why I Am Dope AF” list instead of focusing on your doubts and insecurities.

5. Create a Mantra

Time: 10 mins

A lot of life coaches, self help gurus, and generally successful people do this. (Serena Williams even makes her mantra her password –check it out!) Think of a phrase (doesn’t have to be original) that inspires you and gives you a mental boost. Perhaps it’s a goal. Maybe it’s your favorite quote. Whatever it is, write it down. Write it on a sticky note and leave it at your desk. Write it on the bathroom mirror. Save it as your phone background. Or be like Serena and make it your password! Whatever you do, keep on tellin’ it to yourself and BOOM! You’ll be believing it in no time. Two of my favorite mantas are “Trust your dopeness” and “feel the fear and do it anyway”.

6. Break a Sweat

Time: 30 mins – 1 hour

When we’re feeling less than confident, it usually means we’re stuck in our own heads. In my experience, the easiest way to get out of your head is through exercise. Sweating while pushing yourself mentally and physically is a way to press the reset button- plus, endorphins never hurt anyone!

7. Get Creative and Play

Time: 20 min to a few hours

We live in a society where we base success on busyness and we’re conditioned to always want more, which can easily drain confidence. If you’re feeling bogged down, can you make some time to allow yourself to at the very least, get a little creative, and if you’re going all for it, to feel like a kid again? Draw, dance, shoot some hoops, work on a puzzle, play a board game. Let your brain let go and relax while do something fun or silly.

8. Cut Back on Social Media

Time: 1 hour to a day

Social media is a wonderful tool, but it is easy to get caught up in the comparison game, even for the most confident of folks, when seeing a constant feed of over-edited and picturesque shots. As soon as you start to feel badly in any way shape or form while using social media, exit the app and put your phone down, whether it’s for an hour, an entire day, or more. Same thing applies for certain accounts that you follow. If a specific person constantly makes you feel less than, hit the unfollow button. It’s up to you to curate both your time and also the accounts you follow to utilize social media to the best your ability.

9. Do Something Nice for Someone Else

Time: 30 sec – 10 mins

A great way to instantly boost your own confidence is to do something nice for someone else, however big or small. Hold the door for someone, give a genuine compliment to a coworker, venmo your friend $5 to get a cup of coffee, call your grandma, strike up a conversation with a stranger in the elevator. Any of these little things will have a positive side effect. Promise. Just as one of my favorite quotes says, “Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” – Sir James Barrie ← He knew what was up!

10. At the End of the Day, Be Grateful

Time: 1 – 5 min

Before your fall asleep, choose a few things that you feel grateful about, whether it’s something that happened specifically that day, or a larger theme in your life. By choosing to focus on what you have instead of what you’re lacking, this will boost your mood, confidence, life satisfaction and get you on team YOU.

BONUS: Remember That You Won’t Always Feel Confident!

Time: 1 min

We all want the best for ourselves. But we can’t always be on top of our game 100% of the time. Life ebbs and flows, so we have to have compassion for ourselves. Feeling a little down? That’s ok! Sometimes it’s better to let yourself simply feel it and go through the emotion rather than trying to instantly fix it.

There you have it, folks! What are ya waiting for?! Pick one. Pick multiple. Do it. Then comment below and let me know how you’re feeling. Also, if you have any other tips and tricks I’d love to hear those too!